The Funeral
by rachybaby
Summary: The missing scene from Sunday. SUNDAY SPOILERS! If you havent seen sunday dont read!


Carson's Funeral

The church was packed, Rodney couldn't believe how huge Carson's family was, it had been a nightmare arriving back at the SGC with the coffin and then telling Carson's parents he was dead and how he had died.

_**Flashback**_

Rodney was sat in the debriefing room along with the others who had carried the coffin through the gate. They had been at the SGC for two days and now where awaiting the arrival or Carson's parents.

The door opened and an elderly couple followed General Landry into the room.

"Mr and Mrs Beckett may I introduce Dr. Rodney Mackay, Colonel John Sheppard, Major Lorne, Dr. Radek Zelenka and Ronon Dex"

The Beckett's shook hands with each person in turn as Landry introduced them.

"So you have something to tell us regarding Carson?" asked Mr. Beckett.

"Erm…yes we do. Can I just say he was a brilliant doctor and my best friend on Atlantis…"

"What do you mean was?" asked Mr. Beckett.

John groaned inwardly, Rodney had started very badly.

"I'm very sorry to tell you but on Atlantis there was a series of accidents and I'm very sorry to tell you that they resulted in Carson's death" said Rodney, he was trying not to cry, he had been since it happened but now the pain of the loss of his best friend was too much for him to bear and he finally let the built up tears fall.

"I'm so sorry to have to tell you this"

"How…how…how did it happen?" asked Mr. Beckett as his wife cried in his arms.

Rodney looked at Landry who nodded allowing him to tell them the exact events of that day.

"Would you like to sit down?"

The couple sat down in the chairs set out for them; once everyone was seated Rodney told the story of what happened that day.

"It was the day off for the whole of Atlantis, people had been planning what to do for the last month, and Carson was desperate to go the mainland to this lake to fish and I'd agreed to go. But when it came to the day I didn't really want to because fishing isn't really my thing, he understood and tried to get someone else to go but no-one would. So he just decided to go back to the infirmary to catch up on some paper work, this is when the first explosion occurred. The explosion was caused by an explosive tumour, this happened because I ask two younger scientists to have a look at a new lab we'd found and stupidly they turned on a machine that emitted radiation but they turned it off almost immediately, however the damage was done. This radiation contained ions that invade the body and gather behind the heart and lungs as a tumour, after a few hours these tumours explode. Carson was treating one the scientists from injuries caused by the first explosion when learned of the nature of the tumours, of course being a doctor he refused to let the man die and locked down the whole floor before extracting the tumour. Colonel Sheppard had a team on hand waiting for Carson to unlock the floor so they could safely explode the tumour, sadly when he handed the tumour over it exploded before it could be safely disposed of, killing Carson and the marine" Rodney finished his story, tears rolling down his face. He looked around the room and saw that everyone was crying.

"He always was a brave man, he died to save a life, I don't think I could think up a more honourable way for him to die" said Mr. Beckett and his wife just nodded too over come with grief to speak.

"I'm so sorry…" said Rodney.

"Thank you, but its no-ones fault he died not even Carson's" said Mr. Beckett.

"But if I'd have just gone fishing with him…" Mr. Beckett held up a hand to stop him.

"Don't be daft lad, it's not your fault you didn't want to go fishing, yes if you had he might still be alive but even if you'd have gone it might have still happened. He was the leading doctor there he would have been called back to Atlantis after the first explosion. So it's not your fault, he might have been killed by the second explosion anyway" Mrs. Beckett nodded then stood up, walked over to Rodney and hugged him.

"Not your fault" was all he could say.

Rodney just nodded, he hadn't thought of it like that but he still felt like it was his fault because the second tumour may have exploded before they could get back and Carson would still be alive.

_**Flashback Over**_

Now he was sat in the front of the packed church in Scotland next to Mrs Beckett as Mr. Beckett talked to his family about Carson and his life. Rodney was due to speak after Elizabeth, who would step up once Mr. Beckett had finished speaking.

"…I will remember Carson as a great man, a great son, a great doctor and a life saver because that is what he was" Mr. Beckett stepped down from his place next to Carson's coffin, it was a different one, made of oak with an inside lining made out of little Scottish flags, Elizabeth took Mr. Beckett's place.

"I first met Carson in Antarctica he was the doctor for our exhibition, he was popular within the team, had a lot of friends, he even possessed the gene of the ancestors allowing him to use the ancient technology. Something we laugh about now but was serious at the time was when we asked Carson to sit in the ancient chair. He accidentally set off a drone and had it chasing off after Major Sheppard, now Colonel Sheppard and Colonel O'Neill now General; we used to wind him up about it because he was frightened of the chairs after that incident. In our time in Atlantis Carson saved many lives, he was there in seconds if the medical team was called; he was amazing at knowing what to do to save the persons life instantly. Carson was a great man, he was a healer and every life he saved is a monument to him and his legacy. He may no longer be with us physically but he will live on in our memory. God bless you Carson, you will never be forgotten" Elizabeth put her hand to her lips then placed it on the coffin before stepping down and sitting next to John.

Rodney who was the last to speak stood and walked over to the coffin, he put his hand on the coffin and just stared at the picture on the coffin after a moment he turned to face everyone, his hand still on the coffin.

"Carson Beckett was my friend on Atlantis, yes we argued and wound each other up but we got along so well, we always enjoyed finding new ways to mock each other but I never managed to beat his last dig, and it was the best of the lot. Mocking my stupidity while high on the morphine he'd given me so that he could treat my injury. I have to say I'm sorry I backed out of going fishing with my best friend, he was so excited and I let him down, if I could turn back time I'd go just to see his face when I caught the bigger fish…" a few people laughed knowing how Carson was competitive about the size of fish he caught compared to those he was with; he always had to catch the biggest fish. Rodney looked down at his hand still on the coffin before saying.

"I'm sorry I backed out if I could make it up to you I would. You were my best friend and I didn't treat you like I should have even after what happened with Jeanie, I will never forget you and neither will anyone who knew you. Goodbye my friend" Rodney patted the top of the coffin and then sat back down next to Mrs. Beckett.

The priest then stood.

"It is sad when we lose someone we love, but really we never actually lose them as long as we never forget them. Keep Carson in your hearts and your thoughts and he'll live on till all who knew him are gone" after these words, Carson's dad, uncle, John, Rodney, Ronon and Lorne walked up to the coffin and lifted it onto their shoulders, everyone stood, the bagpipes began to play and together they carried the coffin down the aisle and out into the cemetery, where the coffin was slowly lowered into a ready dug grave. As it was lowered the priest said a few simple words.

"Ashes to ashes dust to dust life on this earth may come to an end but eternal life will continue with God in heaven. Rest in peace son of God." Elizabeth and Carson's mum each threw a rose on top of the coffin before it was covered in the dug up earth. Everyone stood and watch as the coffin was covered in mud, once it was covered Carson's family members departed for the after party to celebrate Carson's life. But the Atlantis team stayed by the grave each just staring at it crying silently for the loss of their friend.


End file.
